Paper-bag holder.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO M. STIEHL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

PAPER-BAG `HOLDER.

SPECIFlCATlON forming part ofV Letters Patent No.648,31`l, dated AprilY 24,- 1900. Application led January 30.1900. Serial No. 3,3 76. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that l, OTTO M. STIEHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Paper-Bag Hlder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bag-holders, and has for its object to provide an improved device of this character which is especially designed to hold a plurality of paper bags and to separate the bags of different sizes, so that a single bag may be conveniently removed without disturbing any of the other bags. i It is furthermore designed to provide a light and durable device for use upon a counter, so that the holder may be conveniently moved to different parts of the counter without removing or otherwise disturbing the bags.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the forni, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.V

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the improved bag-holder, a partof the frame being broken away to show the interior construction thereof. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device.

Corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings are designated by like characters of reference.

Referring to fthe accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the present device comprises a supporting and inclosingframe having the opposite longitudinal side pieces l, the inner or rear end piece 2, which extends to or above the upper edges of the side pieces, and the outer or front end piece 3, which is in the form of a comparatively-narrow strip extending between the lower portions of the side pieces. It will thus be apparent that the frame is of substantially-rectangular shape and is open at the upper and lower sides thereof. It is preferable to form the frame of wood, so as to provide a light and durable device, and the frame-pieces may have any'l preferred shape 0r design. The lower edges of the framepieces are all located in the same plane to rest evenly upon the top of a counter or upon whatever surface the holder may be placed, whereby the latter has a broad basesupport to preventaccidental upsetting of the holder. Y

Located substantially midway between the opposite side pieces and extending longitudinally of the frame is a wooden partition 4, which extends from the front to the rear end pieces of the frame. In the upper edge of this partition there is provideda plurality of upright slots 5, which form a l series of bagreoeiving pockets extending from one end of the partition to the other and having their opposite sides closed by the opposite side sections of the frame. These pockets increase in depth from the Vouter end of the partition to the inner endthereof and are inclined inwardly and upwardly in the same direction, so that the louter wall of each pocket overhangs the latter.

In the outer or front edge of the partition and above the front end strip 3 there is provided a plurality of slots 6, which incline inwardly and downwardly and extend longitudinally beneath the upper bag-receiving pook ets and are of a greater length than the latter, so as to receive the larger sizes of bags. All of the pockets are open at their outer ends, through which the bags are to be inserted and removed, and the outer ends of the dividingwalls between adjacent pockets are rounded, as indicated'at 7, so as to prevent injury to the bags. Moreover, the inner ends of the slots or pockets are rounded or concaved, as indicated at 8, so as to snugly receive the bags.

In the operation of the device, as best shown in Fig. l of the drawings, a plurality of bags 9 of the same size are bent or folded intermediate of their ends, and the bent or folded portions thereof are inserted into one of the pockets and through the open outer end thereof until the outer bag rests snugly against the concaved inner end of the pocket, and the opposite edges of the bags are confined between the opposite side pieces of the frame. It is preferable to fold the bags so that the closed or bottom ends thereof may extend above the mouths of the bags, so that the stifest portions of the' latter may project beyond the outer ends of the pockets and in convenient position to be grasped by the hand. When a bag is required for use', the innermost one is removed, so as not to disturb the other bags in the same pocket, as Will be understood.-

lAlthough but one of the pockets has been` t shown as containing bags, it will of course be understood that the other pockets are also devsigned to contain bags, according to the size l 4thereof, and the lower pockets 6 are designed to extend for any suitable length beneaththe vupper pockets .5, so as to accommodate the larger sizes 0fvbags. B y the inclination Vof the bag receiving pockets the outer walls thereof overhang the pockets in such a manner as to form stops against accidental outward displacement of thebags. f 1 i Having described the` invention, I claimf 1. A bag-holder, vcomprising a frame, hav- `ing* a partition, which is provided with one or morel slots to form bag-receiving pockets,and

openingoutwardly through the upper exposed edge of. the partition, and a plurality of laterlally-disposed slots located below the firstmentioned slots` and opening outwardly through the exposed' end edge of the partition to form bag-receiving pockets, opposite sides of the frame forming closures ,for opposite sidesof the bag-receiving pockets. l

'f I-n testimony that I claim the `foregoing as myown I have hereto aixed my signature'in the presence of tvvo witnesses. v y

f o OTTO M. STIEHL. :Witnesses: 1 f v FRED C. STELTEMEIER,

`EUGENE P. BENE. o 

